theology 101

YOUR FAITH THEOLOGY 101

The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. Yet many Catholics do not fully understand the richness of this most important sacrament. Consequently, Theology 101 this year is exploring both what it means to view the world through Catholic eyes, and the different facets of the Eucharist, in the hope of fostering a deeper appreciation of the Eucharist’s place in the lives of Catholics.

WHO ARE YOU? Think for a moment about how you would answer this most basic of questions. Perhaps you would begin with what you do for a living, with a list of your academic degrees or with a list of adjectives to describe your personality. Others stand ready to offer you answers to this question. For example, some will say you are nothing but matter, while others will say you are pure spirit. Yet, none of these answers truly captures who you are. Why?

THE GREATEST OF MYSTERIES

The reality is that each of us is ultimately a mystery. We are not reducible to our epoch, job, social standing, education – or anything else. Who we really are transcends all these categories. What’s more, no one, including ourselves, can truly exhaust the knowledge of our full identity.

Sacred Scripture explains that, “We are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed.” (1 Jn 3:2) In another passage we read, “At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.” (1 Cor 13:12) These two passages (and there are several others) illustrate that questions of identity lay

S. OLSON

DOUG CULP is the CAO and secretary for pastoral life for the Diocese of Lexington, Ky. He holds an MA in theology from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.

beyond our direct grasp. Our identity rests with God, in God. Now, this has serious implications for the multitude of “isms” that seek to reduce humanity to one thing or another. It also has serious implications for attempts to define Catholic identity. But here’s the thing: Catholicism never seeks to escape from such realities. It lives in the tension and mystery of life with a humility that the grasping ego disdains. Of course, all this means that we must know God if we have any hope of knowing ourselves. So who is this God who holds the key to our own identity?

THREE IN ONE

St. John Paul II, in his apostolic exhortation Ecclesia in America, wrote the following: “Faced with a divided world which is in search of unity, we must proclaim with joy and firm faith that God is communion, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, unity in distinction, and that he calls all people to share in that same Trinitarian communion. We must proclaim that this communion is the magnificent plan of God the Father; that Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Lord, is the heart of this communion, and that the Holy Spirit works ceaselessly to create

communion and to restore it when it is broken. We must proclaim that the Church is the sign and instrument of the communion willed by God, begun in time and destined for completion in the fullness of the Kingdom. The Church is the sign of communion because her members, like branches, share the life of Christ, the true vine (cf. Jn 15:5). Through communion with Christ, Head of the Mystical Body, we enter into living communion with all believers.”

This power-packed passage has much to say in terms of what it means to be Catholic. However, for now, the importance of it remains its description of God as communion. Now, if you were asked to describe the meaning of “communion” in one word, what would you say? Perhaps, you would say “one,” “unity” or some other related word – and you would be right. However, the best, most complete definition for communion can be found in St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians (2:1-2):

“If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing.”

To be of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing – that is a state of communion. And if we look at the Trinity, that greatest of mysteries, we see one God and three Persons in perfect communion.

If this is who our God is, then what does it mean for us and our identity?

Consider the following passage …

If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory. (Col 3: 1-4)

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2. What does this passage have to say about our deepest identity? What are the implications of this passage for your life? What is the significance of this passage in terms of your understanding of the Eucharist and its place in your life?

‘IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING’ (ACTS 17:28)

Since our identity rests in this God who is communion, then it means that we, too, must be made for communion. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states as much in the first paragraph of the prologue when it answers questions as to our source and destiny. It asserts that we were created freely and out of love by God for eternal life in communion with God. God is both our source and destiny. Consequently, any attempt to understand ourselves apart from God will result only in error.

Communion is our source; and communion is the destiny planned for humanity. If we are to truly live and be most fully alive, it only makes sense that we need to live in harmony with that for which we are made. Communion with God, i.e., being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing with God, then becomes the goal and foundation of Christian life.

The Eucharist is sometimes called holy Communion because it is the sacrament by which we are united to Christ to form his body, the Church. This underscores that communion with God, wherein lies our fullest identity, is inseparable from communion with our neighbors. Here are St. Augustine’s profound thoughts (Sermon 272) on the relationship between the Eucharist and the mystery of our deepest identity:

So now, if you want to understand the body of Christ, listen to the Apostle Paul speaking to the faithful: “You are the body of Christ, member for member.” (1 Cor 12.27) If you, therefore, are Christ's body and members, it is your own mystery that is placed on the Lord's table! It is your own mystery that you are receiving! You are saying “Amen” to what you are: your response is a personal signature, affirming your faith. When you hear “The body of Christ,” you reply “Amen.” Be a member of Christ's body, then, so that your “Amen” may ring true!

special section: FATHERHOOD

In the midst of raising a family of seven kids, Jeff Randolph of Christ the King in Ann Arbor realizes the central role that fatherhood plays in his life on every level. With athletic focus and tenacity, Jeff approaches his role as a father with a champion’s sense of determination. He shares a few notes from his playbook to talk about best practices, what he’s learned from his father and why he loves it.

“I hesitate to present myself as having it all together as a dad” he says. “My oldest is about to graduate from college, and I still have much to learn.

“I love fatherhood. I love being a dad. When I’m not working, I throw myself wholeheartedly into family life. First and foremost is my role as a husband, because, next to God, my relationship with Amy is the most important thing to me; I always remember Bishop emeritus Carl Mengeling saying many times that the best thing you can do for your children is to love your wife, and I know that loving my wife gives security to my kids. “I love to spend time with my kids. I’ve learned a lot about that, too. One of the things I try to remember is another way to spell love is T-I-M-E. I have a pretty demanding schedule, but I find that I’ve got to have my calendar reflect my priorities. We sometimes have the fallacy that we can schedule quality time, and sometimes that works and that’s great, but usually quality time happens in the midst of quantity time doing normal, everyday stuff.” Jeff doesn’t pretend that fatherhood is easy, but doesn’t consider it a chore, even though chores come with the job.

“One thing I was thinking about recently is that dads do hard things. You know, all those things that nobody wants to do? It may be

something as silly as going into a dark, damp basement, or cleaning up a dead animal under the deck, or that nasty stuff that no one wants to do, because that’s what dads do. I saw my Dad do that and realized that’s my role.

“I’ve been stretched beyond measure as a dad. I tell people often, especially young dads, ‘It’s harder than you’ll ever imagine, but it’s also more rewarding then you ever dreamed.’ It stretches you. It causes you to die to yourself and to do things you wouldn’t otherwise do. It causes you to put other people’s needs before your own on a daily basis. So there’s certainly the sacrifice, but in terms of the reward, not that you count the cost, but seeing your children grow in virtue and overcome obstacles is hugely rewarding.” Jeff has learned the power of affirmation, both as a father and a coach. On the field and off, the focus is personal development.

“As a coach, he focused so much on the positive,” Jeff’s son Peter says. “In a lot of ways, he strove to build us up and not tear us down. He was very intense in his coaching and he would really get into it, but he wouldn’t be consumed by the losses. For him, it’s never all about the game; it’s more about the players. He really cares for them and wants to see them grow as people.”

“I love coaching,” says Jeff. “When there’s a kid who strikes out all year

long and gets the one single, I’m happier for him than the kid who hits a home run. I also lift weights with my sons, and I think about how you can always go further with a lifting or running partner. I’ve been blessed with great coaches, including my dad, and when they say, ‘I believe in you, you can do one more,’ you do things that you never thought possible.

Jeff has a lot of gratitude for his family legacy and the example his father set for him.

“It’s great seeing my own kids grow up into adults,” said Jeff’s dad, Deacon Larry Randolph. “My wife and I talk a lot about how they are raising their kids, and it’s a blessing. In a lot of ways, we even see how they’ve corrected our mistakes. And we see them trying to be really good parents. We see their commitment to being good parents, and it’s great to see how much they care about their kids.”

In speaking of what he learned from his father, Jeff says: “Put God first, family second – and everything else after that. His faith and his relationship with God guided everything else. We always knew he loved mom and we were loved. Randolph means Strong Shield, and I always thought my dad has been that for me. And I think that fathers as a whole are called to be a shield between the outside world and the family. To me, it’s really cool that our last name means that, and I experienced that with my own dad. That no matter how tough things were on the outside ... myself, my siblings and my mom felt protected because Dad was there. Looking back, it's an immeasurable gift to me,” he says.

special section: FATHERHOOD

FROM THE BISHOP

BISHOP EARL BOYEA is the fifth bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Lansing @BishopBoyea

ST. JOSEPH IS CALLED A “JUST MAN” in St. Matthew’s Gospel. What exactly does this mean? To answer this question, I would like to make a couple of assumptions. First, I presume that Joseph found out about Mary’s pregnancy because she told him, and that she told him the truth – that this was God’s doing, that this was God’s Son. Second, I presume that Joseph’s justice is not a function of his selfishness, but rather of his goodness. Therefore, to call Joseph a just man means that Joseph, knowing that Mary was pregnant and that the child was the Son of the Most High God, also knew that he could not wed Mary and claim that child as his own – for it was God’s child, and he, Joseph, was unworthy to claim to be his father. Joseph’s justice meant he had to drop all claims to Mary and to his future progeny with Mary. When the angel then speaks to Joseph, the angel tells Joseph that God needs Joseph: God needs Joseph to bring this child into the House of David, and God needs Joseph to name this child “Jesus.”

Joseph, then, was given a wife, a child, a family that was not his own, and Joseph was told to be the father of this family. Is this not how it is with all of us? We all like to think that our families are ours, but really they are gifts to us. We were gifts from God to our parents, and any children will also be gifts to us. And as for me, a priest, I, too, have always had a strong desire to be the father of the family. My promise of celibacy does not obviate that desire; rather, the desire is recast in the promise of celibacy with the grace provided by God.

This desire to be father has touched my own life. Twenty years ago, I was completely surprised to be asked to be the rector of the Josephinum Seminary. It became clear that this was what God wanted me to do. God had given me a family which was not my own in Columbus, Ohio. And then, in 2008, he brought me to the Diocese of Lansing to help care for this family.

Why should I, or any of us, be surprised by this turn of events? Is this not really the nature of all parenting?

First, it is always given: God gives us our family. We carry out his Fatherly love in parenting those he provides to our care. In a sense, my own earthly father was given a family, a large one of 10 children. There is no way he could have anticipated what that gift would be, or how difficult it would be. And every one of us is given a family as well – one we know not, one which is not really ours. How well Joseph felt this can be seen in the Gospel of St. Luke. (2:41-51) When Jesus stayed behind at the Temple, Mary and Joseph searched for him. Mary, upon finding Jesus, told him: “You see that your father and I have been searching for you.” Jesus reminded his parents what they already knew, that Joseph was not his father, for the young boy responded: “Did you not know I had to be in my Father’s house.” The child is not Joseph’s. But then, no one given to us for our care is ever really ours. They all belong to the Father in heaven.

Joseph models for us the kind of parents we are all to be. He sacrificed any dreams he may have had, any plans for the kind of family he may have wanted, in order to be the father God wanted him to be. His whole self was sacrificed to Mary and Jesus. This is the role of every parent: We are to pour ourselves This is the role of every parent: We are to pour ourselves out to bring about God’s dreams and plans, and not our own. This is no small thing.”

out to bring about God’s dreams and plans, and not our own. This is no small thing. God entrusted to Joseph the entire mystery of salvation. Is not that mystery far greater than any of our own human dreams? That mystery penetrates all of us – God’s will and plan are not something any earthly parent can predict or control. Most of the time we can only look on in awe at what God does to those entrusted to us – how God makes them holy, sometimes in spite of ourselves. To be a good parent, all any of us can do is allow God his way and to give ourselves over completely to his will.

Joseph also models parenting for us in that he is a man of action, as St. John Paul II said in his March 19, 1980, audience. When Joseph awoke from one of his dreams, we are told “he did as the angel of the Lord had directed him.” He did – Joseph was one who acts. This would have been one of the primary ways Joseph would have taught Jesus, by acting, by doing, especially by acting upon the will of God. So, we teach those in our charge to be persons whose words bear fruit in action, because we are willing to do what is required of us, no matter the cost to ourselves.

Finally, Joseph is a model for us of parenting because he does name the lad – he names him, true enough, with the name he received from the angel, but Joseph is needed to do this naming: Jesus. Joseph does not accept the angel’s request to take Mary as his wife and to fulfill his role with a tired resignation or sadness. Rather, he is given this task and he will do it. He will name, he will teach, he will guide, he will protect, always aware that this child and this wife are given him. They are not his. No one of us grudgingly accepts the family given to us; rather, we embrace that family with our all, knowing not how it will turn out, knowing it is not ours but God’s.

My brothers and sisters, as we celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph during this month of March, let us imitate what we celebrate.

Bishop Boyea at 1 with his parents, Earl and Helen, and his new brother, David SAINT OF THE MONTH

ST. JOSEPH is the patron of all families, especially of fathers, and the patron and protector of our family in faith, the Church.

The Scriptures don’t say much about St. Joseph, but we can figure out what kind of man he was just from the little we read. He came from the royal line of King David, but was a man of modest means who could only afford the temple sacrifice of two doves when Jesus was circumcised. He was a man who loved and trusted God, listening to the messages of angels and trusting in their messages. He was a man of courage, following God’s plan for him though it was contrary to societal norms of the time. He was a man of action, doing whatever he needed to do to protect his family from danger. He made sure that Jesus was brought up in the practice of his faith, making the annual trek to Jerusalem for Passover. He was a good and loving father, worried sick about Jesus when he disappeared during one of the Passover trips.

St. Joseph is a wonderful model for fathers today. He teaches us to love and trust God, in choosing to follow God’s plan over what might have been his own. He teaches us to love our spouses – one of the most important gifts we can give our children. Joseph put Mary’s needs before his own, sacrificing his reputation to protect hers and supporting her choice to follow God’s plan for her life. He teaches us to love our children, embracing the infant Jesus as his own son, humbly and quietly providing care, guidance and protection for him as he grows.

We read nothing more about Joseph after his family is reunited during that frightening visit to Jerusalem. Because Jesus entrusts Mary to one of his disciples at his crucifixion, we can make the assumption that Joseph died before Jesus fulfilled his mission on earth. For generations, Catholics have painted a picture of Joseph breathing his last with Mary and Jesus by his side to comfort him.